U.S. patent application number 13/083404 was filed with the patent office on 2012-06-28 for touch screen.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Kyoung Soo CHAE, Yun Ki HONG, Hee Bum LEE, Jong Young LEE, Yong Soo OH, Dong Sik YOO.
Application Number | 20120162099 13/083404 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46316041 |
Filed Date | 2012-06-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120162099 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
YOO; Dong Sik ; et
al. |
June 28, 2012 |
TOUCH SCREEN
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a touch screen 100 designed to control an
image displayed on image display units 140 and 150 on both-sides of
the touch screen. The touch screen 100 according to the present
invention may overcome an obscured screen problem caused by an
input device, increase production yield while reducing a process
time of the touch screen 100 by simultaneously forming transparent
electrodes and electrode wires on a transparent substrate and,
after forming an image display unit and an active region on the
transparent substrate, folding the transparent substrate, and
minimize an area of a bezel region.
Inventors: |
YOO; Dong Sik; (Seoul,
KR) ; LEE; Hee Bum; (Gyunggi-do, KR) ; CHAE;
Kyoung Soo; (Seoul, KR) ; OH; Yong Soo;
(Gyunggi-do, KR) ; HONG; Yun Ki; (Gyunggi-do,
KR) ; LEE; Jong Young; (Gyunggi-do, KR) |
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO.,
LTD.
Gyunggi-do
KR
|
Family ID: |
46316041 |
Appl. No.: |
13/083404 |
Filed: |
April 8, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
345/173 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/0445 20190501;
G06F 3/0446 20190501; G06F 3/0443 20190501; G06F 3/0412 20130101;
G06F 3/04164 20190501 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/173 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/041 20060101
G06F003/041 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 24, 2010 |
KR |
10-2010-0134688 |
Claims
1. A touch screen, comprising: a first transparent substrate that
is partitioned into a first region, a second region and a first
bent region present between the first region and the second region,
and is folded by the first bent region to allow one side of the
first region to face one side of the second region; first
transparent electrodes formed on the other side of the first region
in the first transparent substrate; first electrode wires extending
from the first transparent electrodes toward the first bent region;
second transparent electrodes formed on the other side of the
second region in the first transparent substrate; second electrode
wires extending from the second transparent electrodes toward the
first bent region; a first image display unit formed on one side of
the first region in the first transparent substrate; and a second
image display unit formed one side of the second region in the
first transparent substrate.
2. The touch screen as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a
protective layer formed on the other side of the first transparent
substrate to be applied to the first transparent electrodes and the
second transparent electrodes; and an adhesive member interposed
between the first image display unit and the second image display
unit.
3. The touch screen as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a
second transparent substrate that is partitioned into a third
region corresponding to the first region, a fourth region
corresponding to the second region, and a second bent region
corresponding to the first bent region, which is interposed between
the third region and the fourth region, and is stacked over the
first transparent substrate to allow one side of the second
transparent substrate to face the other side of the first
transparent substrate; third transparent electrodes formed on the
other side of the third region in the second transparent substrate;
third electrode wires extending from the third transparent
electrodes toward the second bent region; fourth transparent
electrodes formed on the other side of the fourth region in the
second transparent substrate; fourth electrode wires extending from
the fourth transparent electrodes toward the second bent region;
and an adhesive layer bonding the other side of the first
transparent substrate to one side of the second transparent
substrate.
4. The touch screen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first
transparent electrodes have bar patterns, rectangular patterns or
diamond-shaped patterns, which are repeatedly arranged.
5. The touch screen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second
transparent electrodes have bar patterns, rectangular patterns or
diamond-shaped patterns, which are repeatedly arranged.
6. The touch screen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first
transparent electrodes and the second transparent electrodes are
formed of a conductive polymer.
7. The touch screen as set forth in claim 6, wherein the conductive
polymer includes poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene/polystyrene
sulfonate (PEDOT/PSS), polyaniline, polyacetylene or
polyphenylenevinylene.
8. The touch screen as set forth in claim 3, wherein the third
transparent electrodes have bar patterns, rectangular patterns or
diamond-shaped patterns, which are repeatedly arranged.
9. The touch screen as set forth in claim 3, wherein the fourth
transparent electrodes have bar patterns, rectangular patterns or
diamond-shaped patterns, which are repeatedly arranged.
10. The touch screen as set forth in claim 3, wherein the third
transparent electrodes and the fourth transparent electrodes are
formed of a conductive polymer.
11. The touch screen as set forth in claim 10, wherein the
conductive polymer includes
poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene/polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT/PSS),
polyaniline, polyacetylene or polyphenylenevinylene.
12. The touch screen as set forth in claim 1, wherein an image
displayed on the first image display unit corresponds to an image
displayed on the second image display unit.
13. The touch screen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first
transparent electrodes and the first electrode wires are
simultaneously formed, while the second transparent electrodes and
the second electrode wires are simultaneously formed.
14. The touch screen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first
electrode wires and the second electrode wires extend toward the
first bent region and then are gathered at one end of the first
bent region.
15. The touch screen as set forth in claim 3, wherein the third
transparent electrodes and the third electrode wires are
simultaneously formed, while the fourth transparent electrodes and
the fourth electrode wires are simultaneously formed.
16. The touch screen as set forth in claim 3, wherein the third
electrodes wires and the fourth electrode wires extend toward the
second bent region, and then are gathered at one end of the second
bent region.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2010-0134688, filed on Dec. 24, 2010, entitled
"Touch Screen" which is hereby incorporated by reference in its
entirety into this application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates to a touch screen.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] With advanced computers using digital technologies,
computer-assisted equipment has also been developed. Further,
personal computers, portable transmission devices, other personal
private information processing devices, or the like, normally
execute text and graphic functions by using various input devices
such as a keyboard, a mouse, or the like.
[0006] However, with advanced mobile communication technologies,
terminals such as a mobile phone, a PDA, a navigation, or the like,
are no longer simple devices for displaying textual information
only, but have developed as complex and various kinds of devices
with increased performance to include multimedia such as audio,
video, wireless internet web browser, or the like. Therefore, a
display screen is required to be increased within a limited size of
an electronic data terminal and, to meet this need, a touch screen
type display scheme has increasingly attracted attention.
[0007] Such a touch screen is a tool which is typically mounted on
a display face of an image display device such as a flat panel
display device, for example, an electronic notebook, a liquid
crystal display device (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), an
electroluminescence (EL), or the like, as well as a cathode ray
tube (CRT), to allow a user to select desired information while
watching the image display device.
[0008] However, since a display scheme using a touch screen is
embodied by a combination of a screen and a coordinate input means,
a variety of alternative input means including the human body is
generally required to control an image display device. In this
case, the input means may obscure a screen of an image display unit
which causes inconvenience in operating the touch screen and
increases the occurrence of mis-operation.
[0009] Further, in order that a user can exactly recognize an
operating command and activate the same, it is required to
correctly sense a position of the input signals and, for this
purpose, a transparent electrode should be fabricated to be even
more compact. Consequently, the number of electrode wires in the
touch screen is increased, which in turn causes an increase in area
of a bezel region of the touch screen, and as a result, it is
difficult to decrease the size of an electronic product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention has been made in an effort to provide
a touch screen fabricated by designing the touch screen to enable
drive signals to be input on both sides of the touch screen, to
thereby overcome obscured screen problems due to an input device,
and by simultaneously forming transparent electrodes and electrode
wires to thereby increase production yield while reducing a process
time.
[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, there is provided a touch screen including: a first
transparent substrate that is partitioned into a first region, a
second region and a first bent region present between the first and
second regions, and is folded by the first bent region, to allow
one side of the first region to face one side of the second region;
first transparent electrodes formed on the other side of the first
region in the first transparent substrate; first electrode wires
extending from the first transparent electrodes to the first bent
region; second transparent electrodes formed on the other side of
the second region in the first transparent substrate; second
electrode wires extending from the second transparent electrodes to
the first bent region; a first image display unit formed on one
side of the first region in the first transparent substrate; and a
second image display unit formed on one side of the second region
in the first transparent substrate.
[0012] Here, the touch screen may further include a protective
layer formed on the other side of the first transparent substrate
to be applied to the first transparent electrodes and the second
transparent electrodes, and an adhesive member interposed between
the first image display unit and the second image display unit.
[0013] In addition, the touch screen may further include: a second
transparent substrate that is partitioned into a third region
corresponding to the first region, a fourth region corresponding to
the second region, and a second bent region corresponding to the
first bent region and present between the third and fourth regions,
and is stacked over the first transparent substrate to allow one
side the second transparent substrate to face the other side of the
first transparent substrate; third transparent electrodes formed on
the other side of the third region in the second transparent
substrate; third electrode wires extending from the third
transparent electrodes to the second bent region; fourth
transparent electrodes formed on the other side of the fourth
region in the second transparent substrate; fourth electrode wires
extending from the fourth transparent electrodes to the second bent
region; and an adhesive layer bonding the other side of the first
transparent substrate with the one side of the second transparent
substrate.
[0014] The first transparent electrodes may have bar patterns,
rectangular patterns or diamond-shaped patterns, which are
repeatedly arranged.
[0015] The second transparent electrodes may have bar patterns,
rectangular patterns or diamond-shaped patterns, which are
repeatedly arranged.
[0016] Each of the first transparent electrodes and the second
transparent electrodes may be formed of a conductive polymer.
[0017] The conductive polymer may include
poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene/polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT/PSS),
polyaniline, polyacetylene or polyphenylenevinylene.
[0018] The third transparent electrodes may have bar patterns,
rectangular patterns or diamond-shaped patterns, which are
repeatedly arranged.
[0019] The fourth transparent electrodes may have bar patterns,
rectangular patterns or diamond-shaped patterns, which are
repeatedly arranged.
[0020] Each of the third transparent electrodes and the fourth
transparent electrodes may be formed of a conductive polymer.
[0021] The conductive polymer may include
poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene/polystyrene PEDOT/PSS, polyaniline,
polyacetylene or polyphenylenevinylene.
[0022] An image displayed on the first image display unit may
correspond to an image displayed on the second image display
unit.
[0023] The first transparent electrodes and the first electrode
wires may be simultaneously formed and the second transparent
electrodes and the second electrode wires may be simultaneously
formed.
[0024] The first electrode wires and the second electrode wires may
be formed to extend toward the first bent region to thereby allow
both of them to be gathered at one end of the first bent
region.
[0025] Additionally, the third transparent electrodes and the third
electrode wires may be simultaneously formed and the fourth
transparent electrodes and the fourth electrode wires may be
simultaneously formed.
[0026] The third electrode wires and the fourth electrode wires may
be formed to extend toward the second bent region to thereby allow
both of them to be gathered at one end of the second bent
region.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a touch screen
according to a first preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0028] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a touch screen
according to a second preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0029] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a touch screen
according to the first preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0030] FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a first transparent
substrate and a second transparent substrate as essential
configurations of the present invention;
[0031] FIGS. 5 through 7 are plan views illustrating a first
transparent substrate on which transparent electrodes as essential
configurations of the present invention are provided;
[0032] FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the first
transparent substrate or the second transparent substrate, which
are essential configurations of the present invention;
[0033] FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a first
transparent substrate as an essential configuration of the first
preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
[0034] FIGS. 10 and 11 are perspective views illustrating a first
transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate which are
essential configurations of the second preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0035] Various objects, advantages and features of the invention
will become apparent from the following description of embodiments
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0036] The terms and words used in the present specification and
claims should not be interpreted as being limited to typical
meanings or dictionary definitions, but should be interpreted as
having meanings and concepts relevant to the technical scope of the
present invention based on the rule according to which an inventor
can appropriately define the concept of the term to describe most
appropriately the best method he or she knows for carrying out the
invention.
[0037] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will be more clearly understood from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings. In the specification, in adding reference
numerals to components throughout the drawings, it is to be noted
that like reference numerals designate like components even though
components are shown in different drawings. Further, when it is
determined that the detailed description of the known art related
to the present invention may obscure the gist of the present
invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.
[0038] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present
invention will be described in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
First Preferred Embodiment of Invention
[0039] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a touch screen
according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention,
and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the touch screen according
to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 1, a touch screen 100 according to the
first embodiment of the present invention includes a first
transparent substrate 101, first transparent electrodes 110 and
second transparent electrodes 120, first electrode wires 115 and
second electrode wires 125, and a first image display unit 140 and
a second image display unit 150, and the like.
[0041] The first transparent substrate 101 may function to afford a
region on which transparent electrodes (the first transparent
electrodes 110 and the second transparent electrodes 120) and
electrode wires (the first electrode wires 115 and the second
electrode wires 125) are provided. As shown in FIG. 4A, the first
transparent substrate 101 is partitioned into a first region A1, a
second region A2 and a first bent region B1. One side of the first
region A1 may have a first image display unit 140 adhered thereon
while one side of the second region A2 may have a second image
display unit 150 adhered thereon, as described below. Additionally,
the other side of the first region A1 may be a first active region
(R1; see FIG. 1) on which the first transparent electrodes 110 and
a part of the first electrode wires 115 are formed to recognize a
touch of an input device. Similarly, the other side of the second
region A2 may be a second active region (R2; see FIG. 1) on which
the second transparent electrodes 120 and a part of the second
electrode wires 125 are formed to recognize a touch of an input
device. Meanwhile, the first bent region B1 present between the
first region A1 and the second region A2 may be referred to as a
bezel region, on which the first electrode wires 115 extending from
the first transparent electrodes 110 and the second electrode wires
125 extending from the second transparent electrodes 120 are
provided. Specifically, the first transparent substrate 101 may be
folded to allow one side of the first region A1 to closely face one
side of the second region A2, since the first bent region B1 is
formed in a folded shape.
[0042] Here, the first transparent substrate 101 should have
frequent intensity sufficient to support the transparent electrodes
110 and 120 as well as the electrode wires 115 and 125, and good
transparency allowing a user to recognize images provided by the
image display units 140 and 150. In addition, excellent bending
properties or flexibility are required. In consideration of the
supporting force, transparency and flexibility, as described above,
the first transparent substrate 101 may be formed using
polyethylene terephthalate (PET); however, a material of the first
transparent substrate is not particularly limited thereto. In fact,
other than PET, the first transparent substrate may be formed by
using plastic materials having favorable flexibility, for example,
polyethersulfone (PES), polycarbonate (PC), polymethylmethacrylate
(PMMA), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), cyclo-olefin polymer (COC),
a triacetylcellulose (TAC) film, a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film, a
polyimide (PI) film, polystyrene (PS), biaxially oriented
polystyrene (BOPS containing K resin), or the like.
[0043] The transparent electrodes (the first transparent electrodes
110 and the second transparent electrodes 120) function to sense an
input signal in order to recognize a touch coordinate in a control
unit (not shown) when the input device touches the touch screen,
and may be formed on the other side of the first region A1 and the
other side of the second region A2 in the first transparent
substrate 101. A shape of each of the first transparent electrodes
110 and the second transparent electrodes 120 may have bar patterns
(see FIG. 5), rectangular patterns (see FIG. 6) or diamond-shaped
patterns (see FIG. 7), each being repeatedly arranged at a
predetermined interval. However, the shape of patterns is not
particularly restricted thereto and, of course, may include any one
known in the art. Meanwhile, although the first transparent
electrodes 110 may have the same shape as the second transparent
electrodes 120, the shapes thereof do not necessarily correspond to
each other, since each of the first transparent electrodes 110 and
the second transparent electrodes 120 senses independent input
signals. The bar pattern, rectangular pattern and diamond-shaped
pattern are formed on the same layer on the other side of the first
transparent substrate 101. Specifically, for the transparent
electrodes 110 and 120 having the diamond-shaped patterns shown in
FIG. 7, X-axis direction and Y-axis direction electrodes may be
simultaneously arranged on the same layer to thereby embody a
simple structure and superior sensing property of input signals. In
order to form the diamond-shaped patterns on the same layer, a
bridge 135 may be used to isolate cross patterns from each other.
More particularly, as shown in FIG. 7A, sensing units 131 and
connection parts 133 are repeatedly arranged in X-axis direction,
while the sensing units 131 are repeatedly arranged in Y-axis
direction, and then, as shown in FIG. 7B, these sensing units 131
arranged in Y-direction are interconnected by bridges 135
interposed therebetween to thereby prevent electrical conduction
between the connection units 133. In this regard, the sensing units
131 are a unit sensing the variation in capacitance when the input
device comes into contact with the touch screen 100, while the
connection parts 133 are a part to connect the adjacent sensing
units 131.
[0044] Herein, the transparent electrodes 110 and 120 may be
fabricated by using a conductive polymer having excellent
flexibility and using a simple coating process, although indium tin
oxide (ITO) typically used in the art may be employed. At this
time, the conductive polymer may include, for example,
poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene/polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT/PSS),
polyaniline, polyacetylene, polyphenylenevinylene, or the like.
[0045] The electrode wires (the first electrode wires 115 and the
second electrode wires 125) may be provide on the first bent region
B1 in the first transparent substrate 101. The first electrode
wires 115 extend from the first transparent electrodes 110 to
receive electric signals while the second electrode wires 125
extend from the second transparent electrodes 120 to receive
electric signals. In particular, the electrode wires 115 and 125
extending from the transparent electrodes 110 and 120 may be formed
to reach the first bent region B1 and be gathered at one end of the
first bent region B1. By gathering the electrode wires 115 and 125
in the first bent region B1 of the first transparent substrate 101,
an area of a bezel region may be minimized to thereby utilize an
active area more broadly. Alternatively, the electrode wires 115
and 125 gathered at one end of the first bent region B1 may be
connected to a flexible cable of a printer (not shown). When the
electrode wires 115 and 125 are concentrated at one end of the
first bent region B1, a single control unit may easily execute
integrated control and a size of an assistant device, on which the
touch screen 100 is mounted, may be reduced.
[0046] In general, the transparent electrodes 110 and 120 may be
formed by: a dry process such as sputtering, evaporation, or the
like; a wet process such as dip coating, spin coating, roll
coating, spray coating, or the like; or a direct patterning process
such as screen printing, gravure printing, inkjet printing, or the
like. Further, the electrode wires 115 and 125 may be formed by
screen printing, gravure printing, inkjet printing, or the like.
When the foregoing methods for forming the transparent electrodes
110 and 120 or the electrode wires 115 and 125 are employed, the
transparent electrodes 110 and 120 as well as the electrode wires
115 and 125 may be sequentially formed.
[0047] However, a method for manufacturing the touch screen 100
according to the present invention may include simultaneous
formation of the transparent electrodes 110 and 120 and the
electrode wires 115 and 125 on the first transparent substrate 101.
If the transparent electrodes 110 and 120 and the electrode wires
115 and 125 are formed on the first transparent substrate 101 at
the same time, a manufacturing process thereof may be simplified to
thereby reduce production costs. In this regard, the screen
printing, the gravure printing or the ink-jet printing is
preferably applied, however, the manufacturing process is not
particularly restricted thereto, so long as a technical concept of
simultaneously forming the transparent electrodes 110 and 120 as
well as the electrode wires 115 and 125 may be satisfied.
[0048] On the other hand, a material of the electrode wires 115 and
125 is preferably Ag paste having superior electrical conductivity
or a material consisting of organic Ag, however, is not
particularly limited thereto but may include low resistivity
metals, for example, conductive polymers, carbon black (including
CNT), metal oxides such as ITO, metals, or the like. As described
above, when the transparent electrodes 110 and 120 as well as the
electrode wires 115 and 125 are simultaneously formed, a material
of the electrode wires 115 and 125 is substantially the same as the
transparent electrodes 110 and 120. Specifically, the conductive
polymers such as poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene/polystyrene
sulfonate (PEDOT/PSS), polyaniline, polyacetylene,
polyphenylenevinylene, or the like, may be adopted.
[0049] FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the first
transparent substrate 101 in a folded state after the transparent
electrodes 110 and 120 as well as the electrode wires 115 and 125
are formed on the transparent substrate 101, according to a first
preferred embodiment of the present invention. According to this
drawing, in order to accurately illustrate an area on which the
transparent electrodes 110 and 120 as well as the electrode wires
115 and 125 are formed, other components have been omitted.
Substantially, the first transparent substrate 101 may be folded
after a protective layer 130 is formed on the other side of the
first transparent substrate 101. FIG. 9 shows the transparent
electrodes 110 and 120 on which rectangular patterns are regularly
repeated and arranged at a predetermined interval. Although not
illustrated in FIG. 9, transparent electrodes may also be formed to
have bar patterns or diamond-shaped patterns, other than such
rectangular patterns, which are repeatedly arranged.
[0050] The image display units (the first image display unit 140
and the second image display unit 150) function to output images
and may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, a plasma
display panel (PDP), an electroluminescence (EL), a cathode ray
tube (CRT), or the like. The first image display unit 140 may be
provided on one side of the first region A1 in the first
transparent substrate 101 while the second image display unit 150
may be provided on one side of the second region A2 in the second
transparent substrate 201.
[0051] FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a condition of the
first transparent substrate 101 before folding the same by bending
the first bent region B1 (see FIG. 4A) after the first image
display unit 140 and the second image display unit 150 are formed
on one side of the first transparent substrate 101. In this case,
the image displayed on the first image display unit 140 corresponds
to the image displayed on the second image display unit 150. In
other words, when viewing at the other side of the first
transparent substrate 101, an image transmitted through the first
region A1 and an image transmitted through the second region A2 may
have symmetrical images of each other. Therefore, images viewing at
both sides of the first transparent substrate after folding the
first transparent substrate 101 may correspond to each other.
[0052] Meanwhile, the first image display unit 140 and the second
image display unit 150 may be bonded by an adhesive member 160.
Without particular limitation, the adhesive member 160 used herein
may include an optical clear adhesive (OCA) or a double adhesive
tape (DAT), or the like.
[0053] The protective layer 130 may have a role of protecting the
first transparent electrodes 110, the second transparent electrodes
120, the first electrode wires 115 and the second electrode wires
125, all of which are provided on the other side of the first
transparent substrate 101. The protective layer 130 may include an
optical transparent adhesive and, for example, may consist of an
optical clear adhesive (OCA) or a pressure sensitivity adhesive
(PSA).
[0054] In the detailed description of the present invention, an
input part on the other side of the first region A1 is defined as a
first active region R1 while another input part on the other side
of the second region A2 is called a second active region R2.
According to the present invention, paired image display units and
transparent electrodes (that is, a pair of the first transparent
electrodes 110 and the first image display unit 140, and a pair of
the second transparent electrodes 120 and the second image display
unit 150) are respectively partitioned in the first transparent
substrate 101. However, the first electrode wires 115 extending
from the first transparent electrodes 110 toward the first bent
region B1 and the second electrode wires 125 extending from the
second transparent electrodes 120 toward the first bent region B1
are gathered at one end of the first bent region B1, and then,
connected to a single control unit. The first image display unit
140 and the second image display unit 150 according to the present
invention may be controlled as a single interface. Therefore, if
either of the first active region R1 and the second active region
R2 is selected and receives an applied input signal, the sensed
input signal may allow an electric signal to be transmitted to the
single interface through the control unit. Then, an operating
signal sent from the interface to the touch screen 100 may be
equally transferred to both the first image display unit 140 and
the second image display unit 150. Consequently, regardless of
whether the variation in capacitance due to input signals is sensed
by either of the active regions (the first active region R1 or the
second active region R2), the same order is transmitted to these
two image display units (140, 150) to thereby embody a single
output image.
Second Preferred Embodiment of Invention
[0055] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a touch screen
according to a second preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
[0056] As shown in FIG. 2, a touch screen 100 according to the
second preferred embodiment of the present invention may be
fabricated in a double-structure, including: a first transparent
substrate 101 on which transparent electrodes 110 and 120, as well
as electrode wires 115 and 125, are formed; a second transparent
substrate 201 on which transparent electrodes (third transparent
electrodes 210 and fourth transparent electrodes 220), as well as
electrode wires (third electrode wires 215 an fourth electrode
wires 225), are formed; two image display units 140 and 150; and an
adhesive layer 230. That is, one side of the second transparent
substrate 201 is arranged to face the other side of the first
transparent substrate 101 and both of them are bonded by the
adhesive layer 230. Here, the first transparent substrate 101 is
folded to allow the first transparent electrodes 110 and the second
transparent electrodes 120 to face outward and, likewise, the
second transparent substrate 201 is folded to allow the third
transparent electrodes 210 and the fourth transparent electrodes
220 to face outward, thereby enabling the first transparent
electrodes 110 and the second transparent electrodes 120 to
correspond to the third transparent electrodes 210 and the fourth
transparent electrodes 220, respectively.
[0057] Shapes and constitutional materials of the first transparent
substrate 101, the first transparent electrodes 110 and the second
transparent electrodes 120, and the first electrode wires 115 and
the second electrode wires 125 are substantially the same as
described in the foregoing first preferred embodiment of the
present invention. That is, the first image display unit 140 is
provided on one side of the first region A1 and the second image
display unit 150 is provided on one side of the second region A2 in
the first transparent substrate 101. On the other hand, the first
transparent electrodes 110 are formed on the other side of the
first region A1 and the second transparent electrodes 120 are
formed on the other side of the second region A2 in the first
transparent substrate 101. In addition, the first electrode wires
115 and the second electrode wires 125 are gathered in the first
bent region B1.
[0058] Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 4B, the second transparent
substrate 201 is partitioned into a third region A3 corresponding
to the first region A1, a fourth region A4 corresponding to the
second region A2, and a second bent region B2 corresponding to the
first bent region B1, which is present between the third region A3
and the fourth region A4. The other side of the third region A3 in
the second transparent substrate 201 is an area on which the third
transparent electrodes 210 and a part of the third electrode wires
215 are formed to recognize a touch of an input device. Similarly,
the other side of the fourth region A4 in the second transparent
substrate 201 is an area on which the fourth transparent electrodes
220 and a part of the fourth electrode wires 225 are formed to
recognize a touch of the input device. One side of the third region
A3 in the second transparent substrate 201 is a first active region
R1 while one side of the fourth region A4 in the second transparent
substrate 201 is a second active region R2 (see FIG. 2). Further,
the third electrode wires 215 extend from the third transparent
electrodes 210 and are placed in the second bent region B2, while
the fourth electrode wires 225 extend from the fourth transparent
electrodes 220 and are placed in the second bent region B2. The
second transparent substrate 201 is stacked over the first
transparent substrate 101 to allow one side of the second
transparent substrate 201 face the other side of the first
transparent substrate 101, and then, folded by the first and second
bent regions B1 and B2.
[0059] Similar to the first transparent electrodes 110 or the
second transparent electrodes 120, each of the third transparent
electrodes 210 and the fourth transparent electrodes 220 may have a
shape of bar patterns (see FIG. 5), rectangular patterns (see FIG.
6) or diamond-shaped patterns (see FIG. 7), which are repeatedly
arranged at a predetermined interval. However, without being
particularly limited thereto, the transparent electrodes may of
course have any pattern well known in the art. Further, functions
and constitutional materials of the second transparent substrate
201, the third transparent electrodes 210 and the fourth
transparent electrodes 220, the third electrode wires 215 and the
fourth electrode wires 225 are respectively the same as the first
transparent substrate 101, the first transparent electrodes 110 and
the second transparent electrodes 120, the first electrode wires
115 and the second electrode wires 125. Accordingly, the repetitive
description of the foregoing will be omitted.
[0060] Further, one side of the second transparent substrate 201 is
bonded to the other side of the first transparent substrate 101 by
the adhesive layer 230. A size of the adhesive layer 230 is
substantially identical to that of a rim of the first transparent
substrate 101 or the second transparent substrate 201. Here, the
adhesive layer 230 may be formed of a transparent material not to
interrupt the user who recognizes images output from the image
display units 140 and 150, for example, using an optical clear
adhesive (OCA).
[0061] FIGS. 10 and 11 are perspective views illustrating a first
transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate as
essential configurations of the second preferred embodiment of the
present invention. In order to clearly illustrate areas on which
the transparent electrodes 110 and 120 of the first transparent
substrate 101 and the transparent electrodes 210 and 220 of the
second transparent substrate 201 are formed, respectively, and
arrangement morphologies thereof, other configured elements were
omitted for clarity from FIGS. 10 and 11. Referring to FIG. 10, the
first transparent electrodes 110 and the second transparent
electrodes 120, which have bar patterns, are repeatedly arranged in
Y-axis direction on the other side of the first transparent
substrate 101 (see FIG. 5A), while the third transparent electrodes
210 and the fourth transparent electrodes 220, which have bar
patterns, are repeatedly arranged in X-axis direction on the other
side of the second transparent substrate 201 (see FIG. 5B). One
side of the second transparent substrate 201 is bonded to the other
side of the first transparent substrate 101 by the adhesive layer
230 (see FIG. 2). On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, the first
transparent electrodes 110 and the second transparent electrodes
120, which have diamond-shaped patterns, are repeatedly arranged in
Y-axis direction on the other side of the first transparent
substrate 101, while the third transparent electrodes 210 and the
fourth transparent electrodes 220, which have diamond-shaped
patterns, are repeatedly arranged in X-axis direction on the other
side of the second transparent substrate 201. One side of the
second transparent substrate 201 is bonded to the other side of the
first transparent substrate 101 by the adhesive layer 230 (see FIG.
2). As such, a touch screen having two transparent substrates with
different arrangement directions of transparent electrodes may more
precisely sense a position of input signal.
[0062] A touch screen according to the present invention is
fabricated by designing the touch screen to control an image
displayed on an image display unit on both sides of the touch
screen, to thereby overcome an obscured screen problem due to an
input means such as a finger of human being.
[0063] In addition, since the electrode wires are gathered in the
bent region of the transparent substrate, an area of a bezel region
may be minimized to thereby utilize an active area more
broadly.
[0064] Moreover, when the electrode wires are concentrated at one
end of the bent region, a single control unit may easily execute
integrated control and a size of an assistant device on which the
touch screen is mounted, may be reduced.
[0065] Furthermore, the transparent electrodes and the electrode
wires are simultaneously formed on the transparent substrate, and
the transparent substrate is fabricated to be folded after forming
the image display unit and the transparent electrodes on the
transparent substrate, thereby embodying a double-sided
controllable touch screen. Therefore, the present invention has
advantages of enhancing production yield while reducing process
time of the touch screen.
[0066] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention
have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, the touch screen 100
according to the present invention and its manufacturing process
are not particularly limited to the foregoing. Those skilled in the
art will appreciate that a variety of different modifications,
additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from
the scope and spirit of the invention.
[0067] Accordingly, simple modifications and changes of the present
invention should also be understood as falling within the present
invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and
their equivalents.
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